Rafael Nadal has admitted that he was satisfied with his opening match of the clay court season earlier today.

The world number two was made to work hard by Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, before eventually winning the encounter 6-4 6-3.

Having had a two-week spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, Nadal confessed that his performance was "nothing special".

"I played a really normal match, nothing special. Nothing very bad, but nothing very good," he told reporters said Nadal. "[It was my] first match on clay after a long time without touching a racket."

Nadal will now face Mikhail Kukushkin for a place in round four.